Survival in an apartment, starting with a stroke of luck on a plane

Lin Yu glanced at the three-hour countdown on the [Temporary Permission Card] in his hand, then glanced at the guardian bracelet on his wrist, which only had a little over an hour left.

After a moment's thought, he made his decision.

"I'll use the access card tomorrow. I'll go back today and see if the monster knocking on my door tomorrow will still give me special equipment."

With the bracelet's time limit running out, using the access card to explore the resource room now would be a huge waste of time and resources.

He needed to confirm first whether this protective bracelet would be worn every night.

With that in mind, Lin Yu didn't delay any longer and quickly returned to the entrance of the temporary passage leading to the apartment, following the route he remembered.

A flash of white light appeared on the bracelet, and the familiar feeling of weightlessness returned. The next moment, he was back in the comforting living room of his own apartment.

"Um?"

However, as soon as he returned, Lin Yu sensed an extremely faint, yet definitely not apartment-related, distorted, and chilling aura.

This aura... is exactly the same as the omnipresent energy in the Nightmare Mansion.

Lin Yu's eyes sharpened, and he instantly locked onto the source of the aura—the Daoist study.

He strode into the study, where the statue of the True Lord of the Pure Source Mystic Way, enshrined in the center, remained solemn and dignified. However, on the offering platform below the statue, the [World Power Core] that he had placed there was now emitting an extremely faint purple light.

As it flickered, wisps of almost imperceptible, smoky gray-black twisted energy, like moths drawn to a flame, kept seeping in from the apartment door, meandering toward the core, trying to burrow into it.

However, just as these distorted energies were about to touch the core—

hum!

The vertical mark on the forehead of the True Lord statue faintly glowed with a pale golden light, as if a silent guardian had opened its eyes.

An invisible suction force was generated, and the gray-black twisted energy instantly changed direction. Like rivers flowing into the sea, it was completely absorbed and devoured by the third eye on the forehead of the statue, without a trace touching the core below.

At the same time, what surprised Lin Yu the most was that as these distorted energies were devoured, he could vaguely feel that the divine power inside the True Monarch statue seemed to have become slightly more profound. Although the increase was minimal, it was indeed there.

"This core will actively attract the power of the Nightmare Building?" Lin Yu frowned, instantly thinking of the "goddess" who had tried to bewitch him in his dream.

Nightmare Building, Nightmare...

Is there some special connection between them?

This is too much of a coincidence. I just got this item, and then I immediately entered a game related to it?

Is it...

Lin Yu immediately thought of that so-called apartment game special item containment facility.

"Could it be that they're behind this?"

Lin Yu pondered silently. It wasn't that he was being paranoid; it was just that the coincidence was too much to bear.

The so-called special envoy did indeed care a lot about the core information he possessed.

"This is so annoying."

Lin Yu had a headache; he hated things like this that required him to guess.

"Forget it, we'll deal with whatever comes our way."

He shook his head and looked at the True Lord statue that was constantly absorbing distorted energy.

This situation is indeed somewhat strange, but it seems that for the time being, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

The True Lord statue clearly holds an extremely high position, capable of suppressing and transforming this distorted power.

Lin Yu had absolute trust in the True Lord. Since the statue was taking the initiative to handle the matter, he temporarily set aside his doubts and refrained from interfering further.

He left the study and glanced at the simulated time on the living room wall; there was still more than an hour until midnight.

Now is the time to place your bets.

Bring up the game interface and look at the betting options.

The odds of 20 for "no deaths" are negligible, considering that 8 people died on the first night of the game.

Choosing it again would be stupid.

The odds for "greater than fifty" are too low.

The odds for "less than ten", "less than five", and "less than two" are considerable, but they also imply extremely fierce competition.

Lin Yu recalled the panic in the group chat, as well as the eeriness and danger of the Nightmare Building.

Of a hundred players, very few could survive seven days in this environment.

In addition, situations will almost certainly occur between players.

After careful consideration, he ultimately chose the option of "less than ten" and bet 5000 game coins.

This amount of money wasn't much for him.

Actually, there is an even better option: bet less than two and then personally eliminate all other players in the game except yourself to maximize your profits.

However, Lin Yu was worried that there might be players who would stay in their apartments and never leave. He hadn't yet found a way to enter other players' apartments in this game world, so this option was too risky and unnecessary.

Besides, he's not some kind of serial killer, there's really no need for him to be so crazy.

After placing his bets, he summoned a shadow clone and sent it into the Taoist study to continue cultivating, consolidating his understanding of the Samadhi True Fire and various skills.

The main character sat comfortably on the living room sofa, opened the player group chat, and prepared to check on the situation of others.

The information in the group chat is even more chaotic than yesterday.

"I didn't get the bracelet yesterday! The knocking has been going on until now, but I haven't dared to open the door! What should I do today? What if two monsters break down the door?"

"Anyone interested in trading bracelets? I'll pay a high price!"

"Who the hell is this 'liquidator'? He's openly saying he's going to eliminate all players who aren't qualified to participate in the game. Has anyone seen him?"

"I saw that guy! All in white, wearing a mask, in the second-floor corridor. That son of a bitch killed two gold-level players."

"Damn it... This game is not letting us survive at all. It's not just that the game is difficult, but it also gives us a crazy teammate. Is this game crazy?"

"Anyone want to team up?"

"Don't be silly, you'll die even faster in a team. Who knows if your teammates will stab you in the back?"

"Damn it, guys, my bracelet expired while I was in Nightmare Mansion... I came back a little late, and now I feel really unwell, like something followed me back..."

"Me too! There seems to be a dark figure in the apartment!"

……

Lin Yu watched silently, scrolling through the chat history in the channel.

He will soon see what the liquidator, whom the players were talking about, said.

[Weak lambs don't deserve to stay in this apartment game. I will wipe out all of you useless players one by one!]

Lin Yu frowned slightly. Judging from the chat history, it was clear that the liquidator was the same person he had met with Lao Chen.

"Is this guy mentally ill? Eliminating players who don't deserve to stay in the apartment game?"

Lin Yu stroked his chin.

So why didn't he attack me? Was it because I'm not vulnerable?

Lin Yu was puzzled, but not particularly surprised. It's normal to encounter all sorts of people in this game. After all, people who can survive in a game for so long will all have some problems, some more serious than others.

Time passed in a tense atmosphere, and finally, it was nine o'clock in the evening of the second day.

Boom...boom...boom...

The familiar and regular knocking sounded precisely on time outside the quiet apartment.

Having learned from yesterday's experience, Lin Yu was much more composed this time.

He walked to the door, activated his Sharingan, and turned the doorknob.

The door opened.

The scene outside the door startled Lin Yu slightly.

It was a... headless figure.

It was dressed in a bright red deliveryman uniform, of medium build, and had no neck.

Its head was being carefully cradled in its hands against its chest.

The head had an ordinary face, resembling that of a middle-aged man, with a pale, bloodless complexion and closed eyes.

When Lin Yu opened the door, the eyes on his head snapped open, their pupils unfocused and lifeless. His mouth opened and closed, uttering a flat, emotionless voice:

"Hello, this is Apartment Courier No. 0891. I'm very unhappy to serve you. This is your package, please sign for it."

As it spoke, its headless body stiffly took a step forward, stretched out its hands that were holding its head slightly, and freed one hand to take out a palm-sized, plainly packaged kraft paper box from the air that appeared out of nowhere beside it, and handed it to Lin Yu.

The scene was so eerie it sent chills down my spine.

A headless deliveryman, holding his own head, says, "I'm very unhappy to serve you," and then hands you a package.

Lin Yu's lips twitched slightly. The game's perverse humor was truly... He remained expressionless, reached out and took the cardboard box, and calmly said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." The deliveryman's head remained expressionless, and after saying these three words, he closed his eyes again.

The headless body clutched its head, turned around, and with stiff steps, disappeared into the darkness of the corridor without looking back.

Lin Yu watched its retreating figure, his eyes narrowing slightly. He had just been contemplating whether or not to take action directly.

But in the end, no, mainly because the deliveryman had a strange aura, showing no malice whatsoever, and he wasn't carrying a protective bracelet, so there was no need for it.

Lin Yu closed the door, weighed the cardboard box in his hand, and found it to be very light.

He first carefully checked it with his third eye and Sharingan, and only after confirming that there were no curses, energy fluctuations or physical traps did he open it.

Inside the cardboard box was a brand-new [Guardian Bracelet] that shimmered with a soft white light, and a folded white note.

He picked up the bracelet to examine it first.

【Guardian Bracelet】

Category: Special Equipment (Cannot be taken out of the game)

Effect: After wearing, it will grant immunity to Nightmare Mansion's mental pollution for three hours and open a temporary passage to Nightmare Mansion.

Remaining time: 03:00:00

"It seems the bracelet refreshes every night." Lin Yu breathed a sigh of relief, confirming his guess.

He put away the new bracelet, and then he picked up the note.

The slip of paper was ordinary printing paper, with a line of text printed on it in standard Song typeface:

[Thank you for killing my wife. I will be visiting your apartment tonight at 11 PM. Please let me know.]

There was no signature, and no extra information.

But Lin Yu instantly understood that his wife... must be the female monster who was instantly killed by the Third Prince's power on the first night.

So, it's her family... who have come knocking on her door!

"Interesting." Lin Yu smiled instead of being surprised, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "So, you're planning to ask me for compensation?"

He glanced at the time: 9:10 PM.

There are still one hour and fifty minutes until 11 o'clock.

He wasn't flustered at all; on the contrary, he seemed somewhat expectant.

He really couldn't do anything about the monster in the Nightmare Mansion, but that doesn't mean the True Lord and the Third Prince couldn't. He personally watched that guy get burned to ashes yesterday.

Since you like to offer warmth, then come on, Lin Yu wants to see if you're good enough to be killed by the True Lord and the Third Prince.

Perfect timing, this monster might even drop a bracelet, just what he wanted.

He wasted no time and immediately began preparations.

He entered the Taoist study and respectfully lit an incense stick for the statue of Zhenjun and the portrait of Nezha.

Amidst the rising incense smoke, the statues and portraits seemed even more lifelike, emanating an even stronger aura of solemnity and protection.

The core of world power remains beneath the statue, and with the True Lord guarding it, he feels more at ease.

Then, he returned to the living room, sat cross-legged, and began to calm himself down.

Jin Ling seemed to sense the impending danger as well. She landed on Lin Yu's shoulder, her sharp golden eyes scanning the surroundings warily, with tiny wind and thunder runes appearing around her.

Time passed second by second.

The group chat was still noisy, but Lin Yu no longer paid attention to it.

His entire focus was on the "guest" who was about to arrive.

10:50 p.m.

The atmosphere in the apartment seemed to freeze.

The simulated scene outside the window was still pitch black, but the invisible sense of oppression grew stronger and stronger.

Suddenly, a faint, sorrowful, and resentful cry seemed to come from a great distance, yet it also seemed to ring right next to one's ear, drilling directly into one's mind.

coming!

Lin Yu suddenly opened his eyes, and the three tomoe in his Sharingan slowly rotated, transforming into a more complex and powerful kaleidoscope pattern.

The crying grew closer and clearer, carrying a chilling coldness that pierced the soul.

The apartment lights began to flicker uncontrollably, their brightness fluctuating.

Dark red, blood-like droplets began to seep from the door, emitting a strong smell of blood.

However, the liquid was dispersed by a special force as soon as it entered the room.

The temperature was dropping rapidly, and cold white frost was condensing in the air.

A powerful mental field, filled with resentment and sorrow, began to forcefully penetrate the apartment's defenses, attempting to erode Lin Yu's mind.

"snort!"

Lin Yu sneered and completely ignored him.

The problem caused by the replacement of the main gate is that Zhenjun's skill effects cannot be applied outside the apartment, but this does not mean that they are still ineffective inside the apartment.

The True Lord's third eye flashed, and the sudden drop in temperature in the apartment, along with the invading mental field, vanished instantly.

The time has come; it's 10:59 PM.

The crying stopped abruptly.

A deathly silence fell over the apartment.

But this calm was even more unsettling than the commotion just moments before.

thump.

A very faint sound, like a drop of water falling to the ground, came from outside the apartment door.

Then, the doorknob... began to turn slowly and silently on its own.

Click.

The door lock opened automatically.

The heavy apartment door was slowly pushed open a crack by an invisible force.

An aura of darkness and resentment, even more intense and refined than that of the fifth floor of the Nightmare Building, surged in through the crack in the door, like tangible ink.

Inside the Taoist study, seemingly sensing the terrifying distorted energy, the core began to flicker rapidly, attempting to absorb the energy.

Unfortunately, the True Lord's suppression remained unchanged. No matter how much power came, it absorbed it all into its body. No matter how much it accelerated the absorption of energy, it was just doing the work for the True Lord's statue.

Outside.

In this thick atmosphere of darkness, a tall, thin, blurry figure dressed in ancient black mourning clothes stood silently outside the door.

It didn't come in immediately; it just stood there quietly.

Lin Yu could feel a pair of eyes filled with sadness, madness, hatred, and joy, peering through the crack in the door and fixed intently on him.

"I am coming……"

"Aren't you going to invite me...into the room? The friend who killed my wife..."

"snort!"

Lin Yu smiled slightly, opened his eyes, looked at the door, and said, "Welcome, you can come in anytime."

After saying that, Lin Yu waved his right hand, completely opening the apartment door. Instantly, a surge of twisting power rushed into the apartment.

Lin Yu remained expressionless, ignoring the energy, his eyes still fixed on the man who had stopped at the door.

A mocking smile crept across his face as he said, "Friend, the door's open. Do you dare come in?"

Lin Yu's sarcastic question, "Do you dare come in?", was like a spark that ignited a powder keg.

Outside the door, the tall, thin figure dressed in black mourning clothes trembled violently, and the dense darkness and resentment around him surged violently as if boiling.

"You...you're asking for it!!!"

A shrill scream, inhuman indistinct, ripped through the silence outside the apartment. It no longer hesitated; or rather, reason had been completely consumed by the fury of revenge.

Carrying immense resentment, it burst into the apartment building like a black lightning bolt!

The moment it stepped into the apartment building—

hum! ! !

Inside the Taoist study, the statue of the True Lord of Pure Source Wonderful Way seemed to be thoroughly enraged, and the third eye on its forehead suddenly opened.

The divine light, like a tangible golden tide, instantly swept across the entire apartment living room.

The tall, thin figure's forward momentum came to an abrupt halt, as if it had crashed into an invisible barrier.

The dense, inky dark resentment surrounding it, under the illumination of the divine light, emitted a piercing hissing sound as it frantically dissolved and evaporated.

"ah--!!!"

It let out a heart-wrenching scream, its body pinned to the spot by an irresistible force, unable to move.

The black mourning clothes began to burn and turn to ashes in the divine light, revealing the twisted, semi-transparent spiritual essence beneath.

It struggled frantically, its eyes filled with unbelievable horror and extreme pain.

"No! Impossible! This power... this power is wrong!!" it roared, its voice filled with despair. "You're lying to me! You're all lying to me!!"

Its roar abruptly stopped, as if it had touched some taboo, but its bloodshot eyes stared intently at Lin Yu.

Lin Yu's pupils suddenly contracted!

"cheat"?

Something's up!

Someone is behind these dead souls.

"My Lord, please spare its life!" Lin Yu immediately bowed towards the study and pleaded.

Seemingly in response to Lin Yu's request, the overwhelming golden divine light slightly subsided, no longer possessing such intense purifying and destructive power. However, the immense suppressive force remained, firmly imprisoning the soul in place, rendering it unable to move or pose any further threat. It could only continuously emit painful howls and hateful whispers.

Lin Yu strode forward, standing before the suppressed spirit. His Sharingan fixed on its distorted face, he coldly demanded, "Speak! Who sent you?"

The ghost glared back at Lin Yu with eyes full of resentment, but it was clear that he hated more than just Lin Yu. After Lin Yu asked him a question, he immediately grinned as if he wanted to say something.

But in that very instant—

Mutation and regeneration.

Something hidden inside the body of the deceased seems to have been triggered.

Its spirit began to expand and twist uncontrollably, with countless fine, circuit board-like, pale green lines appearing on its surface.

"No...no! I don't want to..." For the first time, the face of the ghost revealed a fear far more real and instinctive than when it faced the divine light. It seemed to want to struggle, but it had already lost control of its body.

"Bang!!!"

Like a balloon being blown up, the spirit of the dead exploded before Lin Yu's eyes!

However, it did not dissipate as pure energy, but instead exploded into countless thick, viscous black smoke wisps, like living things.

The black smoke rapidly gathered in the air, twisting and swirling, eventually transforming into the phantom of a gigantic black snake with a ferocious face and a single horn on its head.

The black snake phantom exuded an aura completely different from that of the dead souls—colder, more cunning, and filled with malice. Without even glancing at Lin Yu, its scarlet snake eyes locked onto the [World Power Core] on the offering table in the Daoist study, let out a silent hiss, and suddenly darted over.

Its speed was astonishing, which was clearly its true purpose, or rather, the ultimate command set by its mastermind—to make contact with the core at all costs.

"presumptuous!"

A cold snort, filled with boundless malevolence, did not come from the statue of the True Lord, but from the painting "Nezha Conquers the Dragon King" on the west wall!

In the painting, Nezha, the third prince, stands on his Wind and Fire Wheels and holds a Fire-Tipped Spear, his eyes suddenly bursting with divine fire!

"Sizzle—!"

A crimson, blood-red phantom of the Hun Tian Ling, its edges burning with raging Samadhi True Fire, shot out from the portrait like a living fire dragon, arriving first and instantly catching up with the giant black smoke serpent.

The Hun Tian Ling was incredibly flexible; with a single twist in the air, it tightly bound the black snake phantom from head to tail.

Under the scorching heat of the Samadhi Fire, the black snake let out a shrill cry. Its body twisted violently, and the black smoke was constantly being purified and evaporated, but it could not break free even slightly.

At the same time—

The third eye on the forehead of the statue of Qingyuan Miaodao Zhenjun once again emitted a beam of golden divine light!

Swish!

The divine light slashed precisely across the center of the black snake phantom bound by the Hun Tian Ling.

Without any earth-shattering explosion, the black snake phantom was sliced ​​in two instantly, like tofu cut by a sharp blade.

The larger half was caught by the golden light of the True Lord's divine eye the moment it separated, forcibly dragged back, and completely devoured. The divine power inside the statue solidified a little more.

The smaller half was then pulled back into the painting by the illusory image of the Hun Tian Ling (a magical ribbon) that shot out from the Nezha portrait.

In the scene, the corners of Nezha's mouth seem to be slightly upturned. The wisp of black smoke that was withdrawn circled around him before merging into the background of churning waves and flames, making the scene seem even more menacing.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye.